End of the road for me

blu3ree

So this little ipod has helped inform me of many things as well as disinform. I've been spending way to much time on it thus it has become to much attachment for me. wasting time playing games watching movies to much time spent in alternate realities.

I promised myself that if I could get enough money for the ride out to yellowstone I would throw this "time eater" away.

I've tried to give out the best advice I could possibly offer. Hope it has helped.

And to a clearer, peaceful, more mindful future! Namaste

BonsaiDoug

Much metta along your path!

Zayl

You know you don't have to make it all the way out to Yellowstone to chuck that thing in the trash? And if you do make it to yellowstone please don't litter :x

Or, you could just give it to someone else.

blu3ree

@zayl well I was gunna sell this to help bring money in for the trip out there. Instead I posted a sign at my local grocery store saying spring cleanup and am working rather than selling off everything.

I don't want to give it away because the FDA says in the manual the radiation it gives off is safe to those who use it 1 day out of 6. Saw that on dr. Oz. and I know that I use it more than that. So why wouldn't another person?

To good health!

karasti

People use computers for a lot of things though, like finding jobs and doing homework. they are all but required for kid even in young grades these days and you might end up helping out a family who cannot afford a computer but needs one. Maybe you could just donate it to the school or something?

riverflow

I barely know how to use my cell phone (which I only have for my job, being on call).

Sometimes being technologically challenged is a good thing haha

Tosh

riverflow said:

I barely know how to use my cell phone (which I only have for my job, being on call).

I'm a bit like that. Anything more complex than a couple of tin cans and a bit of string confuses the heck out of me. Luckily enough I have a teenage daughter to guide me.

I'd like to 'bin' the internet though; I waste too much time on it doing nothing but distracting myself from myself. I don't think it's healthy for me and I could be doing other stuff, like nothing (meditation).

It's an attachment though.

riverflow

Tosh said:

I'm a bit like that. Anything more complex than a couple of tin cans and a bit of string confuses the heck out of me. Luckily enough I have a teenage daughter to guide me.

I'd like to 'bin' the internet though; I waste too much time on it doing nothing but distracting myself from myself. I don't think it's healthy for me and I could be doing other stuff, like nothing (meditation).

It's an attachment though.

I can handle computers fine, insofar as its Windows, only because I've used it for work (and later for personal use) back in the mid-1990s. But all the little gadgets and touchscreens and stuff seems bizarre to me. Even in recording music I deliberately bought a digital recorder with traditional faders rather than those computer programs (I had a bad experience with them in the past when I used to be heavily into recording music). My parents are even better at this stuff than I am!

I do have a basic MP3 player that has no bells and whistles, and I forced myself to learn how to use it. I'd like to get rid of the internet too, but I use it to talk with my GF (in New Zealand) and my parents. I've gotten better with my internet usage, but I could still use a lot of improvement in that department...

lamaramadingdong

Sounds like the beginning of the road to me.
Best wishes.

Enigma

I've never owned a cell phone, smart phone, iPod, iPad, MP3, MP4, or other mobile device. Maybe this is why I'm consistently able to meditate an hour minimum each day. It's impossible to miss a call, text, tweet, status update and so on when these things play no role whatsoever in one's life.

vinlyn

I am into computers, and have been for years. I have a desktop and a laptop and my own website. I have Onstar with its built-in phone, but no other cell phone. I think people have become obsessed with technology. I go do a 2.5 mile walk at the Y's indoor track 2-3 times a week and watch young people playing basketball with headphone on. Damn...turn off the technology and enjoy the people you are with.

lamaramadingdong

I was at the airport a couple of weeks ago and told my wife that George Washington could have walked through and no one would have noticed- everyone had their faces buried in their devices. Technology is great, but it ain't everything.

lobster

And to a clearer, peaceful, more mindful future! Namaste

This morning I decided not to use the ios app that measures and synchronises my meditation with other social meditators . . . the time restraint is inappropriate, done when done.

Insight Timer is a great app. Yesterday during a journey I listened to Amitabha chanting with a Buddha Box. You can buy these as stand alone devices, free or paid for apps.

I create shrines and even complete operating environments for Buddhist practice out of Puppy Linux

Technology can be used skilfully.

Lionduck

Of course, technology is neither good nor bad per se. We each make the choices which create the value or anti value or non-value inherent in the use or non-use of any piece or pieces of technology. Technology is clearly a part of life in our world. As such, we use it often without conscious thought. The ipods, apps and other trinkets are interesting tools and toys, but they are only that. Yes, we all get sucked into that nano-world from time to time. Just remember to take a step back, refocus, and move on up that mountain (life). You are in control. If you think you are not, you are still in control. Enjoy your challenges.\, techno and otherwise.

ThailandTom

riverflow said:

I barely know how to use my cell phone (which I only have for my job, being on call).

Sometimes being technologically challenged is a good thing haha

I don't have a cell phone lol. I didn't one for a good year or so and then I was kind of forced to have to have one. I ended up breaking it on purpose and now I don't have one, it's blissful. However the world in some areas is starting to expect you to have one, for example to fill out certain forms they require you have a phone number, to open a you tube account you need to confirm via an sms :rant:

Lee82

I've used computers since I was little and was writing programmes on the old Acorn Electron when I was 3 or 4 apparently! So I've always had an interest in technology and using it for the purpose of making life simpler.

However, I am disillusioned with social media and hardly use it at all these days. I found myself wasting hours just seeing what other people were doing and being part of a virtual world. A conscious decision to use it less has left me with more time and I'm more relaxed. I see other people 'addicted' to this virtual life and I only wish I could show them what effect it has on them.

As I write I'm using my mobile phone, which I also use as a phone, camera, music player, for personal and business email, sat nav, playing games, reading magazines and newspapers and watching TV. This one device has all the tech I could need in it and I carry it in my pocket, amazing! It is a great tool but the skill comes in knowing when to use it and having the discipline not to be attached to it.

zombiegirl

vinlyn said:

I think people have become obsessed with technology.

I agree with this. I have a desktop and more recently, my girlfriend got a laptop and we have a few gaming systems...but I absolutely draw the line at the tablet. People keep telling me, "Oh you can do this or that" but I really just can't see the use of it. It's just a slight modification on an old theme and in reality, I'd just rather use a laptop. Tablets just seem to be glorified smart phones and I wasn't too keen on getting one of those either.

vinlyn

ThailandTom said:

...However the world in some areas is starting to expect you to have one...

Yes, and ironically the worst example of this concept is when I moved here to Colorado Springs, and to install a land line in my house I was told I had to call Comcast from inside my house to make the connection in order to initialize service.

karasti

We have plenty of technology but we also limit our use (and our children's use) of it. I'm too old to spend 7 months a year building snow forts and playing outside when it's -20F out, LOL. So in the winter we use it more than in the nice months. We have 5 people in our home, and 3 cell phones, but we have good reasons for having them so I have no problem with that. It's never interrupted my meditation or anything else though. I am in a regular habit of shutting off the phones, including the land line when I don't want to be interrupted. Don't care if other people don't like it, lol. I don't really understand what 9 year old needs an iphone, but they aren't my 9 year old so not my concern.

I got a smart phone when there were hardly no other options. I hated it. When my contract was done I went back to a basic phone. Now I hate that. I miss having a touchscreen. I do have a kindle fire, and I love it. I would give up cable tv before I gave up my kindle. Some books, I have to have in harm format. But I have so many books I cannot store them all, and am trying to get rid of some. So the kindle is invaluable for that. My kids play games on it sometimes, it's much better for angry birds and stuff than a small cell phone. But it's used 90% for reading.

Though people on facebook have been getting on my nerves royally with their insensitive comments and I'm bout to take a break from that time suck.